The Welsh capital is to once again have a Lord Mayor after the new Labour administration at Cardiff council performed a U-turn on its very first decision in power.

Cerys Furlong, whose resignation as Cardiff council chair paves the way for the return of a Lord Mayor

Ther Welsh capital is to once again have a Lord Mayor after the new Labour administration at Cardiff council performed a U-turn on its very first decision in power.

On a dramatic day at County Hall, the inaugural Chair of Cardiff council resigned with immediate effect just four months after taking up the newly created post.

Councillor Cerys Furlong said it had become clear some councillors wanted to return to the “status quo” and didn’t feel she could continue “without broad support”.

A new Lord Mayor will be elected at next Thursday’s full council meeting, but Labour vowed to continue to pursue its aim of formally separating the role.

The sudden announcement came on the same day that a deep division emerged in the Labour group over proposals to increase the number of highly-paid top level managers.

As reported yesterday, more than a dozen backbench councillors raised concerns over the plans, with one saying the administration had “already made too many poor decisions that members in marginal and newly won wards are starting to regret”.

The Conservatives last night said Labour’s early policy announcements were “coming back to bite them”, while the Liberal Democrats said Cardiff had been deprived of a Lord Mayor during an important summer of national events.

Coun Furlong, who represents Canton ward, was appointed Chair on May 17 after Labour councillors unanimously voted to split the traditional role of Lord Mayor between two councillors.

The decision – which came just two weeks after Labour swept to power at the local elections – left Cardiff without a Lord Mayor while the council sought permission from the Privy council to formally separate the roles.

At the time, Opposition councillors criticised the move, claiming Labour was creating “jobs for the boys” and politicising the impartial job of who chairs meetings of the full council.

Coun Furlong argued the split meant the Lord Mayor would be “free to champion Cardiff at ceremonial events”, while she, as Chair, would “get to grips with the business of council” by leading a review of the council’s constitution.

But at a meeting of the Labour group on Monday evening it became apparent the controversial change did not have the support of all Labour councillors.

Councillor Keith Jones, who will become Deputy Lord Mayor next Thursday, confirmed the Labour group had agreed to elect a new Lord Mayor, who will also come from within the party.

With a Lord Mayor in place, he said the administration would continuing seeking advice on whether separating the role is possible. Coun Jones also confirmed it wasn’t a matter for the Privy Council, as originally was thought, and the council was now in talks with the Ministry of Justice.

He said: “It’s unfortunate because we wanted a Lord Mayor from day one, there have never been any questions on that. We thought it could be achieved quite quickly and obviously this has proved not to be.”

Coun Furlong was being paid a special allowance of almost £10,000 for the job on top of her £13,175 basic councillor’s allowance – a sum usually given to the Lord Mayor.

The title of Right Honourable Lord Mayor of Cardiff can currently only be used by the council chair, so Coun Furlong was performing both roles until royal approval was granted for separation.

But an investigation by the Echo showed she accepted invitations to 13 civic events in her first two months in office, compared to the 81 events attended by former Lord Mayor Delme Bowen over the same period last year.

In a statement issued late Tuesday night, Coun Furlong said that on Monday evening the Labour group had been updated on the progress of seeking formal separation of the roles.

She said: “This process is taking far longer than the original legal advice suggested, and it’s my view, and that of the Labour group, that the current situation is unsustainable, given the desire to put in place a Lord Mayor as soon as possible.

“It has become clear that some members of the council wish to revert back to the status-quo. While I don’t agree that this will deliver a more modern and progressive way of conducting council business, I respect those views and I do not feel I can continue without broad support to make these fundamental and important changes.

“So, with a heavy heart I am resigning as Chair of Cardiff council with immediate effect. This has been a difficult decision for me to take and I leave the role with real sadness.”

Coun Furlong said she would carry on chairing the Constitution Committee, which meets for the first time today, unpaid, “so that we can work to give residents a better say of how the council is run”.

Councillor David Walker, leader of the Conservative group, said: “You make decisions at haste and regret them at your leisure. All the opposition parties saw this was a mistake.

“Now (Labour) are going to have to backtrack on this issue, backtrack on the management restructure and they have made spending commitment that they are now going to have to find savings to pay for.

“They haven’t got a clue and it’s all coming back to bite them.”

Liberal Democrat group leader Councillor Judith Woodman added: “This was the very first thing they did when they came into power. They did not listen to what we said, they just went off and completely messed up.

“They have deprived this city of a Lord Mayor over an important summer which included the Olympics, Paralympics and Jubilee.”

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